CDKN is pleased to announce a call for concept notes under the programme’s new five-year phase (2022-27). The ‘knowledge-to-action’ call will provide grants to projects led by African organisations that mobilise Indigenous and local knowledge to support locally-led and inclusive climate-resilient action in Africa.

Context

Local people and communities in Africa and the global South are experiencing multiple intersecting and compounding risks, including climate vulnerability, economic poverty, lack of development services and political marginalisation. Despite these challenges, there is a growing appreciation that these communities have the knowledge, experience and capacity to develop and implement their own effective resilience solutions. Even with their rich experience and knowledge of resilience, they largely have inadequate influence and leadership opportunities in decisions and actions that most affect them.

Economically and socially marginalised groups in particular – such as women, young and elderly people, children, people with differing abilities, diversity in sexual orientation and gender identity, Indigenous Peoples, people living in informal settlements, marginalised ethnic groups, and migrants and displaced people – are often worse-affected by climate change, and lack the opportunity to use their agency and voice in planning and implementation processes.

Therefore, there is an urgent need to put local and marginalised people at the centre of climate-resilient action. Acknowledging this, organisations around the world are adopting the principles of locally-led adaptation that recognise the expertise and talents of individuals and communities on the climate frontlines to shape their own responses to the climate challenge. 

The latest Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Assessment Report also highlights that African Indigenous and local knowledge systems provide a “rich foundation” for resilience actions. 

Call focus

The ‘knowledge-to-action’ call will provide grants to projects led by African organisations that mobilise Indigenous and local knowledge to support locally-led and inclusive climate-resilient action in Africa. Projects must align to one or more of the following CDKN themes working to achieve climate resilience:

• Driving gender equity and social inclusion
• Improving access to finance for locally-led climate-resilient action
• Supporting just and appropriate ecosystem-based approaches
• Enhancing climate literacy
• Empowering young people 

Application

This is an open call. After assessing the concept notes, up to ten projects will be invited to develop proposals and up to five projects will be selected for funding. 

To begin your application:

• Ensure familiarity with the call document
• Sign up here to create an account 
• Login here to make your application
• Should you not be able to complete the application online, forms can be downloaded in French and English here. Please complete and email to grants@cdkn.org before the deadline 

Deadline for submissions of concept notes: Sunday 7 May 2023 (23h59 Central African Time) 

Duration of grants: Up to 3 years (36) months 

Budget: Up to USD 150,000 per project

You can also see the Frequently Asked Questions in English and French here. 

Contact email: grants@cdkn.org

Additional resources

An information session was held on the 13th of April. The event recording is available below:

The English powerpoint is available here and the French powerpoint is available here.

This is the English language version of ‘Call for concepts: From knowledge to climate-resilient action in African countries'. To view the French version, click here.